Testimonials

THE IMAs SUPPORT ARTISTRY & ORIGINALITY

Testimonials

“THE IMAS ARE KEEPING IT REAL. IT’S BEEN WONDERFUL TO BE PART OF THIS AWARD BECAUSE THE INDEPENDENT MUSIC AWARDS GIVE INDEPENDENT MUSICIANS A CHANCE TO REACH A MASS AUDIENCE. AND TO HAVE THEIR OWN AWARDS THAT ARE VOTED ON BY OUR PEERS. I’VE HAD THE CHANCE TO MEET THESE AMAZING ARTISTS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.”

Fiona Joy
15th Annual IMA Winner: New Age Song & New Age Album

“WE’RE SUPER EXCITED ABOUT WINNING. THIS AWARD TO ME IS A CELEBRATION OF DIVERSITY & MULTI CULTURALISM IN MUSIC AND ART. I WANT TO SHARE THIS AWARD WITH ALL THE PEOPLE WITH AN OPEN MIND AND OPEN HEART.”

Valentina Blú
15th Annual IMA Winner: World Beat Song

“…I’M REALLY, REALLY HAPPY WITH THE RESULT OF BEING AN IMA NOMINEE BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO TAKE NOTE AND TALKING ABOUT US IN PORTUGAL [WHERE I’M FROM] BECAUSE WE’VE BEEN NOMINATED…THANK YOU SO MUCH.”

Hot Air Balloon
15th Annual IMA Nominee: Folk/Singer-Songwriter Album

“I WANT TO THANK [THE IMAS]…IT’S SO IMPORTANT FOR ME & MY WORK. IT’S SUCH A BOOST OF SUPPORT THAT GOES DEEPER THAN DEEP. THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH.”

Christie Grace
15th Annual IMA Nominee: Love Song

“MY FIRST IMA WIN WAS IN 2013. I ADD IT TO MY PRESS KIT AND IT HELPS ME GET NEW GIGS.”

Roberto Diana
15th IMA Nominee: Instrumental EP

“…BEING RECOGNIZED BY THE IMAS IS HUMBLING… BECAUSE ALL WE WANTED WAS TO HAVE THIS SONG HEARD BY THE MOST PEOPLE POSSIBLE BECAUSE IT HAS SUCH A POWERFUL & IMPACTFUL MESSAGE. AND TO BE AT THIS LEVEL NOW IS SO COOL TO BE ABLE TO REACH AN EVEN LARGER FAN BASE TO SHARE THIS SONG. THANK YOU IMAS FOR RECOGNIZING THIS WORK.”

“I’M VERY, VERY, VERY GRATEFUL FOR THIS RECOGNITION AND VERY HONORED THAT THERE’S THIS SPACE FOR INDEPENDENT MUSICIANS TO BE REWARDED FOR THEIR HARD WORK. IT’S VERY IMPORTANT TO HAVE THIS AND TO ENCOURAGE MUSICIANS TO KEEP MAKING MUSIC…”

Camila Meza
15th IMA Winner: Adult Contemporary Album & Love Song

“…BESIDES BEING HONORED AND SO EXCITED, IT’S BEEN VERY INSPIRING. SOMETIMES YOU WONDER WHERE YOU’RE GOING, IS WHAT YOU’RE DOING WORTH IT. AND WHEN THIS COMES ALONG IT INSPIRES ME TO KEEP GOING AND DO WHAT I LOVE TO DO. SO IT’S BEEN AMAZING, & I’M SO THRILLED…”

Cristina Morrison
15th Annual IMA Nominee: Jazz Vocal Song

“WHEN WE WERE SITTING THERE [AT THE [email protected] LINCOLN CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS] AND HEARD OUR NAME, I JUST ABOUT BLEW UP! SOMETHING INSIDE OF ME JUST LIT UP AND WENT TICK, TICK, BOOM. I’D LIKE TO THANK THE IMAS….WE CAN’T WAIT TO MAKE MORE MUSIC – ESPECIALLY WITH THE IMAS BEHIND US.”

Ty Bru & Tenacious 15th Annual IMA Winners: Rap/Hip-Hop Album

“…THANK YOU SO MUCH INDEPENDENT MUSIC AWARDS FOR THIS. THIS IS VERY BIG FOR SOMEONE FROM A 3RD WORLD COUNTRY, AN IMMIGRANT. THANKS FOR BELIEVING IN ME.”

Serge Bulat
15th Annual IMA Winner: Dance/Electronica Album

“WHEN I HEARD I WAS NOMINATED I WAS SO GRATEFUL TO THE INDEPENDENT MUSIC AWARDS BECAUSE THEY SUPPORT INDEPENDENT CREATIVE ARTISTS LIKE ME THAT MAKE THE MUSIC EXPAND AND GROW. I’M A PIONEER IN AFRO-PERUVIAN JAZZ AND I’M SO GRATEFUL THAT THE IMAS RECOGNIZES ARTISTS LIKE ME. IT’S A GREAT HONOR AND I’M SO EXCITED. THANK YOU.”

Corina Bartra15th Annual IMA Nominee: Instrumental Jazz

“I’M FROM MEXICO CITY AND THIS IS AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY FOR ME BECAUSE I DO ELECTRO-ACOUSTIC MUSIC…WHICH IS KINDA INDEPENDENT OF INDEPENDENT MUSIC. SO IT’S AMAZING TO GET IT HEARD BY THE AUDIENCE AND GROW WHO CAN HEAR MY MUSIC.”

Enrique Mendoza
15th Annual IMA Nominee: Instrumental Song

“WHEN I HEARD I WAS NOMINATED I SCREAMED LIKE A GIRL! WHICH I DON’T DO OFTEN. IT’S GREAT…I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY.”

David Ali
15th Annual IMA Nominee: A Cappella Song

“I LEARNED I WAS AN IMA NOMINEE WHEN I WOKE UP & CHECKED MY EMAIL. IT WAS THE BEST MORNING I’VE EVER HAD! I’M REALLY EXCITED TO BE A PART OF THIS.”

George Zois of King George
15th Annual IMA Nominee: Rock Song

“IT’S BEEN A MAGICAL YEAR FOR ME ALL THE WAY AROUND..BUT NOTHING LIKE THIS [IMA NOMINATION] HAS EVER HAPPENED TO ME…..THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.”

Kent Holmes15th Annual IMA Nominee: Pop Song

“THIS NOMINATION IS AN HONOR FOR US AND WE TRULY APPRECIATE BEING RECOGNIZED FOR THE WORK AND EFFORT IN CREATING OUR MUSIC AND OUR ALBUM, DREAMTIME AND MY SONG “SOLITUDE”. MAKING MUSIC HAS BEEN A LIFELONG JOY FOR ME. TO HAVE THIS RECOGNITION HUMBLES ME YET MAKES ME PROUD AT THE SAME TIME. I AM GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT I’VE HAD AND FOR ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN TOUCHED BY THE MUSIC AND HAVE BEEN SUPPORTIVE OF IT. I HOPE THAT YOU WILL ALL VISIT THE NEW AGE CATEGORIES IN THE VOX POP JUKEBOX AND CAST YOUR VOTE IN THE PUBLIC PART OF THESE AWARDS.”

Cornell Kinderknecht and Martin McCall
13th Annual IMA Nominee: New Age Album & New Age Song

“IN 2013 WITH HELP OF THE VOX POP AWARD AT IMA IN JAZZ SONG CATEGORY FOR ‘VOCÉ E EU,’ I COULD RAISE ENOUGH SUPPORT TO MAKE THIS ALBUM! :)”

“…WE ARE SO PLEASED ON OUR WIN! WE WILL DEFINITELY KEEP YOU ALL POSTED ABOUT OUR NEWS AND NEW WORK! THANKS TO EVERYONE THERE – IT MEANS A GREAT DEAL TO US, AS SO OFTEN THE MUSIC BUSINESS IS FULL OF REJECTION AND WE NEED THESE THINGS TO KEEP US GOING!!”

Inga and Leck, Superhand
15th Annual IMA Winner: Eclectic Album

“THANKS AGAIN FOR THE HELP. I CAN NOW SEE WHY SO MANY PEOPLE CHOOSE TO WORK WITH THE IMAS. YOUR STAFF MAKES IT ALL SO VERY POSSIBLE AND GETS THE JOB DONE.”

Warren Addis Smith
16th Annual IMA Entrant

“I LOVE BEING PART OF A HUGE AND VIBRANT INDIE MUSIC COMMUNITY. I HAD A PREVIOUS NOMINATION FOR FOLK ALBUM OF THE YEAR FOR MY ALBUM WHEN I WAS MADE AND IT WAS AN HONOR. I’M THRILLED TO BE NOMINATED AGAIN FOR THIS RECORD WITH MY WONDERFUL FRIEND SARAH SAMPLE.”

“WOW.. YOU JUST MADE MY DAY! THANKS SO MUCH, I’M BEYOND WORDS HONORED AND HUMBLED!! THANK YOU, THANK YOU!! THIS GIVES ME REASSURANCE AND RENEWED INSPIRATION IN MY MUSIC! MY DEEPEST GRATITUDE TO ALL THE JUDGES AND EVERYONE AT IMA.”

“THANK YOU VERY MUCH IMA’S. IT TOOK EVERYTHING IN ME TO TAKE A CHANCE AND PUT MY MUSIC OUT THERE LAST YEAR. I’M SO GLAD I DID! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY. JUST TO BE RECOGNIZED AS AN INDEPENDENT ARTIST IS SUCH A BLESSING. IT’S LIKE BEING NOMINATED FOR A GRAMMY!”

Maskerade
14th Annual IMA Winner, R&B/Soul Album

“THANK YOU AND EVERYONE AT IMA SO MUCH FOR THE NOMINATION FOR EASY LIVING! I’M BEYOND THRILLED, AND TRULY HONORED! I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR THE HARD WORK YOU AND THE IMAS ARE DOING ON BEHALF OF INDEPENDENT MUSICIANS.”

“AS AN ARTIST AND HEAD OF AN INDEPENDENT MUSIC LABEL, I AM STOKED TO BE A JUDGE AT THE IMAS THIS YEAR. MY AIM IS TO SUPPORT AND HELP COOL UNDERGROUND BANDS GET NOTICED AND WORK THEIR WAY UP. IN MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, IT’S VERY CHALLENGING FOR MANY CREATIVE GROUPS TO BREAK INTO THE INDUSTRY, BUT WITH PROGRAMS LIKE THE IMAS, MANY TRULY TALENTED MUSICIANS CAN COME TO THE FOREFRONT.”

Pete Wentz (Fall Out Boy, Owner/Decaydance Records),
9th IMA Judge

“I WON PUBLICITY PHOTO OF THE YEAR, AND IT SCORED ME MY PRODUCER! THANKS, IMAS TO A GREAT PROGRAM!”

“JOE AND I WERE THRILLED TO LEARN THAT WE WON THE PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD FOR BEST BLUES CD 2010 ALONG WITH THE JUDGES AWARD. THIS IS JUST TOO COOL. WE ARE SEEING LOTS OF THINGS HAPPEN WITH OUR CAREER SINCE THE AWARDS. WE RECEIVED A REVIEW THIS JULY IN DOWNBEAT MAGAZINE, WHICH WAS DUE TO THE AWARD. WE WERE INVITED TO PERFORM FOR 3 DAYS AT THE ORANGEVILLE JAZZ AND BLUES FEST IN ORANGEVILLE, ON CANADA, WHAT A WONDERFUL TIME. AND OUR PERFORMANCE WILL BE AN ARTICLE IN BLUES REVUE MAGAZINES NEXT EDITION. WE HAVE BOOKED MANY FESTIVALS THIS YEAR AND HAVE HEADLINED 3 OF THOSE FEST. WE WILL BE PLAYING AT BUDDY GUYS IN CHICAGO ON SEPT. 24, A CLUB WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET INTO FOR YEARS. WE ARE KNOW WORKING WITH BOOKING AGENT IN CHICAGO AND PLANNING A EUROPEAN TOUR NEXT SPRING. THE AWARD HAS DONE US A LOT OF GOOD AND WE CAN’T THANK YOU ENOUGH.”

“THIS AWARD IS A VERY PRESTIGIOUS AWARD AND A HUGE HONOR FOR BOTH ROMAN AND K&B
ENTERTAINMENT.”

Kimberly Bjorklund, President of K&B Entertainment and Manager for Roman Miroshnichenko
9th Annual IMA Winner – World Traditional Song

“THE IMA NOMINATION OF ‘SALT’ WAS A VERY POSITIVE AFFIRMATION OF HOW I FELT ABOUT THE ALBUM. IT HAS ALSO BEEN A LEGITIMATE MARKETING TOOL, EVERY BIT AS EFFECTIVE AS A GREAT REVIEW, WITH REGARD TO PRESENTING AN ‘INDUSTRY’ REACTION TO THE ALBUM IN MY PRESS KIT. I POST THE IMA FINALIST ‘BADGE’ ON MY WEBSITE’S STOREFRONT. SIMPLY MENTIONING THE IMA NOMINATION WHEN PITCHING THE ALBUM FROM THE STAGE ADDS TO ITS PERCEIVED VALUE. THE INDEPENDENT MUSIC AWARDS, FOR ME, MAY AS WELL BE THE GRAMMYS. IN FACT, I’M NOT SURE THE GRAMMYS CAN BOAST SUCH LEGITIMACY! ONE LOOK AT THE PANEL OF JUDGES AND YOU KNOW THIS ISN’T JUST ANOTHER PSEUDO-MUSIC BIZ SCHEME OR RUN-OF-THE-MILL CONTEST. IT HAS HELPED ME PROMOTE WHAT I BELIEVE IN ARTISTICALLY AND THAT KIND OF ‘SUPPORT’ IS OF THE HIGHEST VALUE TO ME AS AN INDIE-ARTIST.”